This document discusses various types of hydraulic structures used to regulate water flow, including weirs and culverts. It provides information on thin plate weirs and formulas used to calculate discharge for different weir types under conditions of free flow and submerged flow. Long based weirs are also covered, explaining how they can experience either free flow or submerged flow depending on the downstream water level. The document concludes with an explanation of how a partially filled culvert can act as a broad crested weir.

1. CU06997 Fluid dynamics
Hydraulic structures
13.1 Hydraulic structures (page 430)
13.2 Thin plate weirs (page 430-440)
13.3 Long based weirs (page 440-445)
13.4 Flumes (page 445-452) Just read
13.5 Spillways (page 452-465) Just read
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2. Weir?? What?? Why??
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weir
• Regulation
• Overflow
• Flow measuring
• Sometimes it is just a obstacle
• Thin plate (sharp crested) weirs [korte overlaat]
• Long based (broad crested) weirs [lange overlaat]
1

3. Free or submerged flow
Volkomen of onvolkomen overlaat
• Free flow (volkomen)
If the water level downstream changes,
the water level upstream does not change
• Submerged flow (onvolkomen / verdronken)
If the water level downstream changes,
the water level upstream also changes
• http://vimeo.com/16847389
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4. Thin plate (sharp-crested) weirs
Free flow
Water level upstream >> Water level downstream
Use specific energy=total head measured from the crest2

5. Formula’s Thin plate weirs
There are a lot of different formula’s which try to be
as accurate as possible.
Most important to remember is that in the formula’s
water level and total head (specific energy) is
measured from the crest and the formula’s can only be
used with free flow (volkomen)
Next slides some examples, you will find more in the
book.
2

6. Basic formula 𝑄 = 𝑚 ∙ 𝐵 ∙ 𝐻
3
2
Q = discharge overflow [m3/s]
m = runoff coefficient [m1/2/s]
B = Width crest overflow [m]
H = Head at overflow [m]
measured from top crest!!
H
Total head
2

7. Thin-plate Rehbock weir
2
324,0
78,1 HB
d
h
Q 






Free weir flow
Crest weir
Rehbock weir
2

8. Discharge measurement weirs
2
3
86,1 HbQ  rHqv  2
8,2 2
1
tan46,1 2
5
 Hqv
mhHaHdHb 40,0,2,3,3 
rH  25,0h
2

9. Romijn weir
2
3
7,1 HBqv 
2

10. Long based (broad crested) weirs
[Lange overlaat]
Most of the time these weirs are not meant for
measuring discharge.
More for regulating purposes or just because there is
a object in the river which act as long based weir
Free flow (volkomen) and submerged (onvolkomen)
flow can occur
3

11. Submerged flow [onvolkomen]
Free flow [volkomen]
Total Head or Energy line H
Total Head or Energy line H
Super critical flow
Hydraulic Jump
Bottom eddy
Long-based (broad-crested) weirs
3

12. Remarks
• When the flow downstream is supercritical it is
always a free flow at the weir
• If the water level downstream is lower than 2/3 H ,
it is a free flow.
• If the water level downstream is higher than 2/3 H,
it is a submerged flow.
• With free flow, the water level at the end of the
crest is 2/3 H.
• H and water level are measured from the top of the
crest. H is measured upstream of the weir
3

13. Submerged broad crested weir flow
)(2 33 hHghBcq olv 
col=discharge coefficient submerged broad crested weir [1]
B = width weir
h3 = water level downstream
Total Head or Energy line H
Submerged broad crested weir [onvolkomen lange overlaat]
Bottom eddy
3

14. Free flow broad crested weir
2
3
HBcq vv 
Cv=discharge coefficient free flow broad crested weir [m1/2/s]
B = width weir
h3 = water level downstream
Total Head or Energy line H
Free flow broad crested weir [volkomen lange overlaat]
Super critical flow
Hydraulic Jump
3

15. Partially filled Culvert
acts as a broad crested weir
4
DownstreamUpstream
Cross-section
Length Culvert
Flow velocity

16. Partially filled Culvert
acts as a broad crested weir
4
• The bed level of the culvert is the crest level
• The width of the culvert is the width of the crest (B)
• The water level (h3) and total head (H) are measured
from the bed level of the culvert.
• If the water level (h3) downstream is lower than 2/3 H ,
it is a free flow.
• If the water level (h3) downstream is higher than 2/3 H,
it is a submerged flow.
• When submerged flow :
tot
olc

1
